Power-operated toothbrush



Feb. 3, 1948. P BLAlR 2,435,421

POWER- OPERATED TOOTHBRUSH Filed March 5, 1943 Patented Feb. 3, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE POWER-OPERATED TOOTHBRUSH Paul H. Blair, Chicago, Ill.

Application March 5, 1943, Serial No. 478,075

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to improvements in power-operated tooth brushes, and has for its principal object to provide an improved `device of the character described, including two rotary brush elements.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved construction of a device of the character described, affording removal or assemblyl of the rotary elements so as to facilitate cleaning or replacement of the rotary elements.

The invention may best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof, in Which- Figure 1 is a view in longitudinal section of a tooth brush constructed in accordance with my invention, shown in considerably enlarged scale;

Figurez is an end view of the device shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary bottom view of the brush head with parts broken away to show certain details f construction of the gearing;

Figure 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail perspective View of one of the drive gears and coupling means carried thereby.

Referring now to detalls of the device shown in the drawings, the main parts comprise a frame or-holder IUI formed in the shape of a generally rectangular shallow bowl with an elongated handle II extending at one Yend thereof, and having two rotary brush elements I2 and I3 mounted in said frame on longitudinally exten-ding parallel shafts i4 and I5 respectively. The frame I0 consists of side walls I6, I6, bottom wall I1, an outer end wall I8, and an inner end wall I9, to which the handle II is secured. The inner end wall extends upwardly above the level of the side walls I6 and outer end wall I 8. An upright wall 20 is spaced from said inner end wall I9 and forms part of a transversely disposed housing e at the inner end of the frame for enclosing the drive gearing for the rotary brushes, as will presently appear.

The rotary brush elements I2 and I3 each consists of alternately arranged rows of rubber fingers 22, 22 and bristles 23, 23 extending from a hub 24a. Said hub may also be of rubber formed integrally with the lingers as by molding, and the inner ends of the bristles may also be molded in the hub. The elements I2 and I3 are preferably tapered longitudinally in a, generally frusto conical form, and are mounted with their smaller, inner ends terminating just short of their respective shafts, so that when mounted in operative 55 position in the holder, the smaller ends of the two brush elements are closely adjacent each other in laterally offset but mutually overlapping f relation, as clearly seen in Figure 3. `A substantial portion 0f the peripheries of the two brush elements projects above the -rim of said frame in position to engage` the teetha'nd gums assaid.

brush elements are rotated.

The drive connections for rotating the shafts I4 and I5 include a drivershaft 21 extending' 'have shafts 3|, 32, respectively, `rotatably supported at opposite ends in the end wall I9 and the upright wall 20 of said gear housing, the inner ends of shafts 3I and 32 extending through the latter wall for connection. with the ends of the brush element shafts I4 and I5, respectively. The pinion 28 meshes with'one of the gears 29, and the'latter gear meshes with its companion gear 30, as shown in Figure 4. t l j The shafts I4 and I5 carrying the brush elementsIZ and I3 are mounted for detachable con. nection with the shafts 3I and 32 in like manner, as follows: y, I

Shaft I5 has a longitudinally projecting tongue 33 at each end thereof, either one of which is adapted to t in a transverse slot 34 formed in the exposed end of shaft 32. Similarly, shaft I4 has tongues 35, 35 at opposite ends adapted to t in a slot 36 formed in the exposed end of shaft 3l. Since the two shafts I4 and I5 are of the same length, it will be understood that said shafts are reversible and interchangeable with each other merely by removing said shafts and mutually reversing them end to end, or exchanging their relative positions in the frame. For this purpose both ends of shafts I4 and I5 are formed with shouldered end portions 31, 31, either one of which is adapted to t in holes 38, 38 formed in spaced relation in bearing supports 39, 39 suitably mounted on the outer` wall IB of the frame. In the preferred form shown, said bearing supports consist of spring-like plates projecting downwardly and inwardly from a common cross member 4U mounted on the end wall I8, so that either of said bearing supports will yield outwardly under pressure, and thus permit ready lnsertion or removal of the brush element shafts when desired.

A plurality of apertures 4I may be provided in readily inserted inf tle'm'outh witlifthe brushesf l0 in the desired localized engagement with the teeth and gums. It will be understood that the rubber fingers are especially adapted for masi Although I have shown and described Vone particular embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that I doy not wish to be limited to the exact construction shown and described, but Y that various' changes and modifications may be made without departing lfrom the Vspirit and scope of my invention as defined in the appended claim. A i

Ivclaim:

aA opensided frame, a pair of coupling'members mounted` at one end of said frame, power-operated vmeans for rotating said coupling members in op-` posi-te directionsg a pair of bearing supports at marily intended for cleaning the tooths ulifiies.. 15; 'the opposite end of said frame comprising two Since the brushes rotate toward each 'othenti'fe gums will be massaged by thei'tubbler riglsglin" the accepted direction, that is to say, longitudinally of and toward the tooth.

Due to the offset relation of Y and i3, they are both disposedmost cornpac'tlyin',r the' framel or holder so asi tof make! a relatively;y small device Whicl-ican readily beinsertedi'and manipulated in thefmo'utli". l

Due toA detachable mountingy of the f brushing; 2.5

element-sv and their!respectivefsnafts; their: relative positions canfbe changed'atwing-either' by? reversing them end tol end. or` by' e'x-'ohaizigingv the two brushes vI2V 20 their relative p'ositioiis-`A Within'- the` framev or holder; Also, eitherfo'ffthe brushingelements 30 can be removedfif-desired, so? that al'single'fv ele-- ment will' be used at one time.V

By reason of the arrange Aent' ofithe Vleafsprings 139', 39'-, with their free out-erf'eridsf `exv tending toward they open 'sid'ey ofi the frame l0; it will be observedjthatv the'VA outerfendsoff" the* brush shafts 31 and Sica-rf be quicklyy detached' by pressing their respective springsf-ciu-tWardly with the finger. kIn reasjsezi:blingthe` shaftsfin piace, it is only necessary toj insert thev innerend 4 of the shafts' in'their reiessesd or Tand` then spring the outer endof the' shaft into the hole 38.' o f theA opposed s pring'leafj bearing; support 3,3

by' pressing theshaft inwardly" against talige-yieldsl i ing inner faceofV said lm'zarirlfgjsupport.V ssojon as the shouldered endl portionY 31 of; the shaft registers with the hgoie as" in the springsunport, said spring support willV immediatelty Snap into proper bearing relationtothe Shaft, asgshown. in 50 Figures 1 and 3;

laf-lsprings each having one end fixed on said framesandfthefother free end extending toward theopenside of said frame, said free end having A' an'v aperture therein forV receiving the o'uterend of yits respective shaft in'V detachable bearing relation, andft'vifo Vrotary 'brush elements adapted tolbedispo'sedA in exposed en'dto-end'laterally" offset relation with 'each' other,l eaohfhavingsifnii-f lar bearing and connecting.means-at`both endsf thereof vadapted for selective engagement either"Z Withsaid coupling members orWithhsaidc bearing supports-,f whereby said bruselements maybe reversed: end to end orv interchanged between' upper andlower positions inl said frame.

Y REFERENCES crrED? .v o yThe .following'lreferences are ofreco'rd injtlie file oifthisI luttent: *Y Y Y l l UNITEDIj srrAfrEs PATENTS.. 'L'

622,971 France Mar.' 8. 192,7 

